Socceroos to take on Ecuador in London

The Socceroos will take on fellow 2014 FIFA World Cup nation Ecuador in an international friendly on London on Wednesday 5 March.

The Socceroos will take on fellow 2014 FIFA World Cup nation Ecuador in an international friendly in London on Wednesday 5 March.

The clash is the first meeting between Australia and Ecuador at full international level and will be played at The Den, home of English Championship side Millwall Football Club.

Ecuador, which includes Manchester United midfielder Antonio Valencia, is currently ranked 23rd on the FIFA World Rankings and will face France, Honduras and Switzerland at the World Cup after finishing in 4th position in the final round of CONMEBOL (South American) qualifying.

The match represents an ideal opportunity for coach Ange Postecoglou to test his side against a quality South American side before the Socceroos take on Chile in its opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“We-re excited to have secured the match against Ecuador, which offers us a good test against South American opposition leading into the World Cup,” Postecoglou said.

“We have tried to secure opponents for the games leading into the World Cup to replicate the type of football we are expecting to face in Brazil and playing Ecuador gives us some quality South American opposition ahead of the first group stage match against Chile.

“This is also the last match we will play before we get together in May for our final World Cup preparations so it-s important that we can build on the first positive steps we took in the match against Costa Rica late last year.”

Millwall Football Club holds extra significance for Australia with Socceroo internationals Tim Cahill, Dave Mitchell, Kevin Muscat, Lucas Neill and Jason Van Blerk all plying their trade at The Den while it is the current home of Shane Lowry and Scott MacDonald.

The Socceroos v Ecuador match kicks off at 8pm (7am AEDT on 6 March) and will be broadcast LIVE and Exclusive on Fox Sports 3, including a 30-minute pre match show from 6.30am.

Postecoglou will announce his side for the Ecuador clash in the week leading into the match.